Hide-stretching device



F. H. TOWNSENDE HIDE STRETCHINGDEVICE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15, I919.

Patented 0012. 19, 1920.

A fg zzy entree STATES PATENT oer-Ice.

IEREDERICK-H.v TOWNSEND, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HIDE-STRETCHING DEVICE.

T 0 all whom it may concern 1 Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. TOWN-SEND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the countyof Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inHide-Stretching Devices, of which the following description,inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is I pliable condition.This has the effect of in- Y creasing the area of the leather and at thesame time imparting to it pliability and evenness of texture.

One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide a simple,easily. operated, efficient frame for stretching hides or leather.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a frame having adjustablemembers to which the hide may be tacked or secured, and then theadjustable members may be adjusted relatively to the frame to stretchthe hide both longitudinally and transversely thereof.

After the stretching frame has been in use for a period, the stretchingmembers or boards to which the hide is tacked, become so filled withtack holes that the tacks no longer obtain sufficient hold thereon.Another purpose of the invention, therefore, is

to provide a frame with stretching mem-,

bers which may be detachably associated with the frame, so that whenthey become filled with tack holes as described,new stretchingmembersmaybe readily substituted therefor.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a stretching frame havingthe characteristics referred ,to, and adapted to' receive and stretchtwo hides or two hide portions simultaneously.

With the aforesaid and other objects in view, the character of theinvention may be best understood by reference to the follow-Specification of Letters Patent.

pairs or groups of side members 1 of wood or other suitable material,and groups of end members 3, in the present instance, each end groupconsisting of three members having their ends secured to the sidemembers to form a frame of general rectangular charactor. The endmembers 3 may be spaced to receive the side members between them toafford longitudinal guideways 5 and transverse guideways 7 for a purposeto be described. The upper pair of side members 1 may have end portions9 projecting some what beyond the end members 7 and enable the framereadily'to be suspended on hooks to allow the hides to dry, as morefully hereinafter described. Extending between and transversely to theside members 1 is an intermediate member 11- permanently securedthereto.

members for stretching the same transversely and to opposed members forstretching the same longitudinally. The members for stretching the hidetransversely, in the present instance, comprise a pair of members 13 ofwood or other suitable material conveniently located adjacent andpreferably within the upper'side members 1. It is desirable that thesemembers shall be detachably associated with the frame andalso that thetack-receiving faces of these members vshall be practically free fromnails,

screws and similar securing means. To accomplish this, in the presentinstance, brack- Patented Oct. 19, 1920. 7 Application filed December15, 1919. Serial No. 344,771.

ets or strips 15'may be provided of metal or other suitable materialextending between and transversely to the upper side members 1. Thesebrackets or strips may be spaced by blocks 17, and the brackets andblocks may be secured by screws 19 to the upper side members. Thebrackets may have outstanding flanges 21 for engagement with Opposed toand cooperating with the fixed stretching .members 13 are a pair ofadjustable stretching members 25 of wood or 1 other suitable material,extending longitudinally of the-frame and'having end portions projectinginto the guideways 7 between i the end members 3 of the frame. V

, The back portions of the hide may be tacked to the stretching members1 3, and

the belly portions of the hide may be tacked to the adjustablestretching members 25. Thenthe latter may be slid transversely of theframe away from the fixed stretching members'13 to stretch the hidetransversely thereof as desired.

Suitable means may be provided to secure the stretching members 25 intheir positions of adjustment To accomplish this, in the presentinstance, the end members 3 of the 7 frame may be provided with seriesof holes 27 conveniently arranged in rows in stag- 'gered relation, andpins 29 may be inserted'in these holes and engage the inner edges of.the stretching members 25 to hold the same in their positions ofadjustment.

The members for stretching the leather longitudinally thereof, in thepresent instance, comprise a pair of members 31 of wood or othersuitable material extendingtransversely of theframe through theguideways 5 between the side members'l of the frame. These stretchingmembers 31 may project somewhat beyond the side members of the frame,and have'blocks' 33 secured thereto with inner curved edges or rockersfor engagement with the outer edges of the side members 1 of the frame,thereby allowing the stretching members31 to be adjusted longitudinallyof the frame, and to rock or depart from positions truly perpendicularto said side members as desired. Theend portions of the leather may betacked to the end' stretching members 31,

and then theflatter-or one of them may be adjusted longitudinally of theframe to stretch the leather longitudinally the degree desired.

Suitable means may be provided for securing the end stretching members31 1n their positions of adjustment; To accomplish this, in the presentinstance, the'side members 1 of the frame may be provided with series ofholes 35 conveniently arranged in rows in staggered relation, andadaptedto receive pins 37 which may beset in the holes to engage the inneredges of the end stretching members 31 to hold the same in theirpositions of adjustment as required;

iifter the stretching members 31 have been used for 'a' period, theywill become so filled with tackholes that it will be desirable to;

substitute new ones therefor. To accomplish this, the blocks 33 atone ofthe ends of each of'said members may be removed and thereby allowthemembers to be with drawn from the frame transversely thereof;

Then new members'may be readily inserted into theframe through theguideways 5,'and V the blocks maybe applied thereto to prevent theirwithdrawal from the frame.

The use of the frame in stretcliing leather j The backand belly of thehide are tacked to the side will be readily understood.

stretching members 13 and 25. and the ends of the hide are tacked to theend stretching members 31, and then the frame may bereversed, and a hidemay be tacked to the side stretching members at the opposite side of"the frame and to the endstretchingmembers. Then the side stretchingmembers25 may be adjusted and held by the pins 29 to stretchtheleather'transversely as required, and the end stretching members 31maybe adjusted and held by the pins 37 to stretch the leatherlongitudinally as desired. After the hideshave been secured to theopposite sides of the frame andstretched,the frame maybe suspended byresting the "end portions 9 of the upper side mmebers of the frame onhooks or any suitable support.

, 'VVhen the side stretching members and the end stretching membersbecome so filled with tack holes that others should be substitutedtherefor, this may 'be 'readily accomplished by removing the members 13and 31 as described. The members25 may be removed readily by slidingthem out through the guideways 7 i v V i It will be understood thattheinventionis not limited to the specific embodiment shown,'-and thatvarious deviationsm'ay' be made therefrom without departing'from the Ispirit and scope of the appended claims. What is claimed is 2+ 1.Abdevice for stretching two hides simultaneously, comprising a framehaving side members and end members connected to said side members; apair of adjacent fixed side stretching members, a' pair of independentlyadjustable side stretching members adapted to slide between said endmembers toward or from said fixed stretching members, a pair of endstretching members adapted to slide between the side members of saidframe, and means to secure said slidable members in different positionsof adjustment.

2. A device for stretching hides, comprising a frame having groups ofside members and end members spaced to afford guideways between them, apair of side stretching members slidable in the guideways between theend members, a pair of fixed side stretching members opposed to saidslidable side stretching members, end stretching members slidable in theguideways between the side members, and means to hold said slidable sideand end stretching members in different positions of adjustment.

3. A device for stretching leather, comprising a frame having opposedside members and opposed end members connected to said side members, apair of brackets secured to one of the side members of the frame, afixed stretching member resting on said brackets and retained by thebrackets against displacement by stretching strains, means detachably tosecure said fixed member to the frame, an adjustable stretching membermounted on the frame and opposed to said fixed member, and meanscooperating with the frame and ad justable stretching member for holdingthe latter in different positions of adjustment.

4. A device for stretching leather, comprising a frame having transverseguideways, a pair of fixed stretching members mounted on the frame, apair of longitudinal stretching members opposite the respective fixedmembers and slidable in said transverse guideways, and means to holdsaid slidable stretching members in differ-' ent positions ofadjustment.

A device for stretching leather, comprising a frame having longitudinaland transverse guideways, and means for stretching leatheron oppositesides of said frame including a pair of fixed stretching members, a pairof independently adjustable stretching members opposite the respectivefixed members and slidable in said transverse guideways, a pair ofstretching members slidable in said longitudinal guideways, and means tosecure said slidable members in different positions of ad.- justment.

6. A device for stretching leather, comprising a frame having opposedside members spaced to form guideways therebetween, opposed end membersconnected to said side members, adjustable stretching members projectingthrough said guideways beyond said side members, and elements connectedto said stretching members and adapted to engage edges of said sidemembers to limit longitudinal movement of said stretching members andallow a rocking adjustment thereof.

7 A device for stretching hides simultaneously upon the opposite sidesof a frame, comprising aframe having transverse guideways, a pair offixed stretching members, a pair of independently adjustablestretchingmembers slidable in said transverse guideways and arranged opposite therespective fixed members, means for securing the adjustable slidemembers in different positions of adjustment, and means for stretchingthe ends of the hides.

8. A device for stretching hides simultaneously upon the opposite sidesof a frame, comprising a frame having lon itudinal and transverseguideways, a pair of fixed stretching members, a pair of independentlyadjustable stretching members slidable in the transverse guideways andarranged opposite the respective fixed members, means for securing theadjustable slide members in different positions of adjustment, andstretching members slidably mounted in the longitudinal guideways toFREDERICK H. TOWNSEND.

